No. 17 Lady Senators run winning streak to 13 games

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The 17th-ranked Walters State Lady Senators ran their season-best winning streak to 13 games Tuesday evening with a rout of Spartanburg Methodist on the road, 74-43, in the final non-region game of the season.

The Lady Senators, now 24-4 on the year, took the lead early on and built on it throughout the contest in completing the season sweep of the Lady Pioneers, who fell to 7-14 on the season. WSCC won the first matchup of the season, 81-49, back on Nov. 7.

In this one, Spartanburg Methodist had one of the better offensive outings for one period against the Lady Senators this season, scoring 18 points in the first period, but Walters State held a 25-18 lead after one.

After a highly productive offensive output in the first 10 minutes, the Lady Pioneers went ice cold the rest of the way, and the Lady Senators made them pay for it. WSCC held a 14-5 scoring edge in the second frame to build a 39-23 lead at halftime, and that lead swelled to 59-36 after three, as the Lady Senators outpointed the home team 20-13 in the quarter.

The fourth quarter was all WSCC, as the Lady Senators held a 15-7 edge in the final 10 minutes to pick up the 31-point win.

Zacharyia Esmon paced Walters State with 17 points in the win, while Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu added 12 and Brianna Dixon and Derrinesha Jackson both reached double digits with 10 points apiece. Diamond Forrest tacked on eight points for the Lady Senators, while Teija Wareham added seven, Jamya Rogers had six and Hannah Jones totaled four in the victory.

Ta'Keria Legette led the Lady Pioneers with 12 points in the contest, while Jayla Hopkins added nine and Aliyah Whiteside finished with eight in the defeat.

The Lady Senators will close out the regular season Saturday afternoon with a road trip to Harriman to face Tennessee Community College Athletic Association rival Roane State. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.